Daniil Medvedev keeps on grass despite Wimbledon ban, hones golf game with Bastian Schweinsteiger

Daniil Medvedev may not be at Wimbledon due to a controversial ban of Russian and Belarusian players, but the world No. 1 hasn’t been able to keep off the grass as he takes in a golf game with friend Bastian Schweinsteiger.

The former footballer and husband of 2008 Roland Garros champion Ana Ivanovic gave Medvedev a shoutout on his Instagram after his first visit to a golf corse.

“Next time I will bring more golf balls and tees,” Schweinsteiger joked in the caption.

For his part Medvedev, who returned to the top of the ATP rankings earlier this month, has taken the ban in stride, playing an otherwise full grass-court swing in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Halle, and Mallorca—finishing runner up at the first two—and appears eager to return to action in time for the US Open swing, where he will attempt his first major title defense in Flushing Meadows.

"If I cannot play, I'm gonna stay home, practice hard, and try to be better for my next tournaments," he said back at Roland Garros, where he reached the fourth round.

By contrast, Carlos Alcaraz found himself doing double duty as Wimbledon got underway, taking in a golf game of his own before battling through a brutal first round against Jan-Lennard Struff.

Trailing the German by two sets to one, the reigning Miami and Mutua Madrid Open champion won over the Court No. 1 crowd as he rallied to advance in four hours and 11 minutes.

From the caption on his Instagram story, might the Spanish teen be challenging noted golfing enthusiast and No. 3 seed Casper Ruud to a putting challenge? The two have already faced off on a grass court over the weekend for an exhibition in Hurlingham, where the Norwegian avenged his Miami Open defeat to Alcaraz in a low-stakes clash, but no doubt Ruud would put even more effort on the golf court.

He who famously quipped “grass is for golfers” back in March also made the most of his newfound comfort on the surface with a straight-set win against Albert Ramos-Viñolas, saving set points in the second set tiebreaker and weathering some lengthy rain delays to book his spot in the second round.